


The gem eater

by Sludgeman101



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-02-17
Packaged: 2018-05-21 03:52:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6036936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sludgeman101/pseuds/Sludgeman101
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steven and friends check out an old cavern for gem monster activity, but instead they stumble across an old and dangerous artifact, and also awaken something ancient.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The gem eater

Steven and Connie were sitting on a grassy hill a short walk away from the barn. She had neglected to tell her parents about the Steven turning into a baby incident, it would only freak them out.

They were both sitting on a blanket, the remains of a picnic lying between them.

"So, in school we just started our Greek myth unit" Connie said.

"Oh, uh, what are those?" Steven said, brushing crumbs off his shirt.

"Uhm, they're like stories from really long ago."

"Oh, cool."

"Yeah, we just read one about this guy that fought this monster lady that could turn people in to stone if they looked at her"

"Oh cool! How did he beat her?"

"He like, used his shield to see her reflection, so he could still fight her without turning to stone."

"Oh, he sounds pretty smart then."

Just then, garnet came walking towards them.

"Steven, Connie, we have reports of a gem monster, would you two like to come?"

"Sure!" They said simultaneously.

"But what about peridot?" Steven asked.

"This seems like a good introduction for her new job" the tall gem said sunnily while clapping peridot lightly on the back.

"Ok great! I can get lion to give us a lift back to the temple."

Lion was curled up in a ball in the sun nearby.

"Lion, we have to go back home for a bit, can you take us?" Steven asked.

Lion growled lowly in response.

"Come on, please lion? *sigh* We can get a lion licker on the way back."

Lion stood bolt upright, ready to go.

Helping Connie up onto lion's back, Steven hefted himself onto the pink animal as well, and let himself sink into lion's mane.

Picking up peridot and placing her on lion's as well, garnet took her spot on lion.

"Where's pearl and amethyst?" Steven asked.

"They agreed to sit this one out" garnet replied.

Shrugging, he turned back around, thou he could help but think of how odd it was for pearl, and especially amethyst, to not want to fight a gem monster.

Pushing the thought away for the moment, he said "ok lion! Let's go!"

…………………………

Arriving at the bottom of a mountain that dominated the surrounding the surrounding landscape, the group quickly found a winding staircase surrounding the mountain, leading to the peak.

"It'll be at the very top, in a cave" garnet reported.

"Ugghh, that means we have to climb all these steps. Why did i even let you take m into this?" peridot moaned.

"Because you need to understand what one of the most important jobs of the crystal gems" garnet replied smoothly.

"Its not so bad. Climbing stairs is good exercise" Steven said cheerfully.

And so began the long climb. Steven and Connie walked in front of the gems, cracking jokes and telling stories.

Once, peridot nearly fell when a piece of the stairs crumbled under her foot, but garnet caught her just in time.

By the time they reached the top, the sun was already beginning to set. 

Steven was exhausted, and collapsed as soon as they reached the top. Garnet scooped him up in her arms.

"Hey Steven! Come check this out" Connie yelled, standing in front of the entrance to a an icy cave.

Next to the entrance was an old statue, almost completely covered by ivy, so much so that only the face was visible. From what could be made out, it was of a person kneeling on top of a pedestal, staring straight ahead. 

Scratching some ivy off the front of the pedestal, Connie noticed some really strange looking symbols.

"Uhm, does anyone know if these mean anything?"

Peridot kneeled down in front of the statue and ran her hands over the symbols.

"Hmm, it's written in the old language, let me see if i can make it out."

"Whats the old language?" Steven asked, recovering from his exhaustion.

"Before gems were able to translate anything they heard or said, they used a system of symbols to communicate."

"You can translate everything you hear?" Connie asked, surprised.

"Of course, we are a space exploring race, it is imperative that we are able to communicate with all life forms."

Steven looked up at garnet. "So, you don't actually speak english then."

"I do. I can speak any language, as well as understand them as well. My gems automatically translate what i am saying to whatever is the most familiar language to those that are hearing it."

"Why can't i do that?"

"Maybe you will, in time."

Peridot piped up just then "i got it! It reads 'there is always time to forget' huh, well that is useless, i thought it would be giving directions to some lost gem technology, something we could use."

Steven couldn't see past garnet's shades, but if he could, he would see a lot of worry and confusion in her eyes.

"This place, it feels familiar, i don't understand, i can't remember ever being here."

"Ah, you're having déjà vu, it's when you feel Ike you've seen something before, but don't remember it" Connie said.

"Whatever it is, we shouldn't be here. We should go."

Getting out of her arms, Steven said "no, garnet, we can't just leave a gem monster running around, can we?"

Garnet sighed "you're right, we should just go in and deal with it."

"Great!"

Steven glanced at Connie, who already had rose's sword drawn.

"You ready?"

Connie smiled and said in a deep, melodramatic voice "i was born ready"

With the two children giggling, garnet advanced slowly into the cave, with a shaking peridot following closely behind.

The cave was surprisingly well lit, with glowing green rocks covering the ceiling pin patches. Garnet had to slouch due to the low ceiling.

 

As she advanced, she felt as though something was tugging on her very being, urging her to turn back.

All at once, sapphire went blind. Not in the physical sense, but instead that she could no longer see the future. All of the present's possibilities were sucked into one monstrous whirlpool. 

Garnet's form flickered, ruby wanted to seperate, to take sapphire back. For a second, that was all she wanted, she could just leave, and never come back.

Never come back

Never come BACK!

"Garnet, are you ok?"

Steven's voice cut through the mental fog.

Garnet thought "if i infuse now, whatever is here wins. It will come while i am weak. It will hurt steven."

Gritting her teeth, garnet lunged forward with gauntleted hands, and shattered the air in front of her.

The shards danced in the air for a moment, then disapeared. Instead of a cave, a room appeared in front of them, made of cut stone. In front if them stood a large statue of a gem mutant, it's cobbled-together body parts frozen, and covered in stone.

Steven walked cautiously torwards the statue, and then around it. The gem mutant had 3 arms, all of which were pointed straight out, as if reaching for something.

Before reaching the opposite side of the statue, garnets hands firmly but firmly clasped in front of his eyes.

"Careful," she said "the artifact in front of you will turn anything that sees it into stone."

"What does it look like?" Connie called from behind the statue.

"I'm not sure, there are no futures where i look at it."

Slowly uncovering Steven's closed eyes, she gently guided him to safety.

Then, facing the ground, she returned to the artifact, using her hands to feel the object, before quickly and neatly crushing it.

Brushing the dust off her hands, garnet stood up swiftly, grabbed the two children's hands, and left the cave without another word.

…………………………

The sun was almost finished setting, and the last few golden rays washed over the statue.

Then, with a low groan, he blinked.

The darkness was receding from his vision, he breathed, filling his lungs with sweet air to replace the stale stench in his chest. His whole body was getting feeling back, and an eternity of numbess had ended.

Suddenly, his legs couldn't hold him. He sat shakily down, with a deep nausea forming a heavy ball in his stomache. Holding his head, questions and answers came simultaneously rushing in like water from a hose.

Where was he? Here. What will he do? Live.  
What will he do about the voices?

Suddenly, the old musty smell filled the air. He could smell it, sense it. It was below, in the darkness, confused and scared.

Suddenly, a raspy voice came from the pit of his being,

"Feed."


End file.
